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Saturday, May 9, 2015

LUMIPro and Obsession Exposed Gallery Give Back!

I wanted to talk with you guys about something that has touched both Stefan's life as well as mine... cancer. I think almost anyone in Second Life you meet has been touched by this horrible disease. Well we have decided, along with Obsession Exposed Gallery and Gardens, to give back! LUMIPro is excited to be co-sponsors to OES Art Auction and Pink Gala. Both events will benefit the Relay for Life of Second Life. To find out more I talked with the galleries head curator, Lily Summerwind-Solar.

I am super excited to be talking with Lily Summerwind-Solar. She is not only a LUMIPro enthusiast but the curator for Obsession Exposed Gallery and Gardens. We have a lot of exciting things to talk about so lets get started!

Lily I was so excited to see what you and Addison have created, not only does it display some amazing art, but it has some great spots to take photos. What inspired you guys to take this on?

Lily:Addison was on a homestead prior to the full sim and I was in a little neighborhood. So we decided to join forces and got the full sim with attached homestead. Addison is a great landscaper and builder, and I just like to design things, so it’s been fun. Basically the sim is designed with photographers in mind. There are tons of photo ops on the sim.

How long has the gallery been up and running?

Lily: We opened in December of 2014, I believe. There was a gallery at the old homestead but this one is awesome. Much bigger and much more room to display work.

I hear that you guys have two events coming up can you tell me about them?

Lily: The first event is our Pink Ball to benefit Relay for Life Second Life. It will be held on Friday May, 15 at 5pm slt. Everyone is welcome to put on their best in pink and come and join us for a night of dancing and fun and a really good cause. The second is our Art Auction which should run in conjunction with the pink ball. Addison will put the pieces out a week ahead of the Ball on the 15th on the sim so people can start their bids and bid all through the week. Some artists from around the grid have donated one of a kind pieces for us to auction off. This is also benefit for Relay of Life Second life.

How can others get involved in these events?

Lily: We post info on facebook and send out invitations. The event is also being promoted by our Team Captain, John, in Relay for Life. Anyone is free to IM myself or Addison if they have questions concerning the events.

I think it is amazing the way you guys have decided to do something for charity, and LUMIPro is glad to be co-sponsoring, what made you guys decide to do this?

Lily: I think just about everyone is touched by cancer in some way or another. Be it a relative or family friend, it affects us all. We have a very special friend in Second Life who is fighting a battle now and it’s just a really good cause to be involved with. Great people, fun events, and knowing we’re doing what we can to help aid in stomping out this ugly disease.

Now that we have talked about the gallery what do you say we get to know you a little? How did you get involved in photography?

Lily: Easy one. Addison. :). She’s been taking pics of me since I met her a year ago. She has been a great source of inspiration for me and a great friend and mentor. She even bought me my LUMIPro, which I have to say, I wouldn’t be without in Second Life now. I love this gadget so much.

What inspires you to take photos? Do you have any favorite artists?

Lily: I love colors and just random things I see as I’m traveling around the grid. I don’t have any favorite artists, I’m just inspired by all art in general. I love seeing the point of view of different people and different perspectives on things.

Do you have any advice for anyone interested in trying their hand at photography?

Lily: Go for it. Just start snapping. It doesn’t matter where or what you’re shooting. Just point and click away. Before you know it, you’ll be addicted to photography too. I would say once you become serious about it, invest in a LUMIPro, you won’t regret it. It’s kind of act a bit like the flash on your real camera. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in your photos.

What advice would you give to someone who says, “Oh my work is not good enough to share”?

Lily: I still say that about my own work, and I do get it a lot when I invite people to show in the gallery courtyard. Never doubt your own abilities. The gallery is based on the premise that everyone has a voice. You don’t have to be taking pictures for a long time in Second Life to be good at it and to be noticed for the work you’re doing. So just be confident.

Do you have any advice for anyone who might be interested in starting a gallery?

Lily: Well it would depend on what type of gallery someone wanted to start. I would suggest starting with a small one, maybe displaying your own work for a little while then build from there. Our gallery is huge and it’s a lot of work, keeps me busy but it’s so worth the end result I am pleased every time we have an opening and looking forward to doing it all over again for the next month.

I know you are a LUMIPro lover, do you have a favorite feature?

Lily: I’m still learning tricks with it honestly but the eye gazer is cool, I love that I can move the projector around and get the right shadow that I’m looking for. I love that I can adjust the amount of light I want and the amount of space I want to light up. It’s just a really great little gadget. I would also like to give a big thank you to artist Wheelerwood Oppewall for taking a few minutes of his time a little while ago to give me a lesson on the basics. It helped me tremendously to understand how this device and it’s features work.

What do you use your LUMIPro for the most?

Lily: I use it mostly for taking pics of myself or my boyfriend Es or anyone that asks me to take a picture of them specifically. I’m still a very random snapper so I spend a lot of time wandering sims and just taking photos of random AVs that I see around so I don’t really bother them to ask if I can pass them a folder, although it may come soon lol.

Are there any features you would like to see in a future LUMIPro?

Lily: A spot light would be really cool so when landscaping, you could shine it out across the area you’re shooting and have it light up the whole place, although it may be equipped with something for this already and I just didn’t discover it yet .

What would you say to someone who was on the fence about purchasing LUMIPro?

Lily: I would say for sure to jump off the fence and do it. It’s well worth the investment, especially if you plan to take a lot of pictures in your Second Life. You wouldn’t try to take a picture in your real while in the dark….. would you? :) So yes, by all means, Light it Up! There is also a great support team to help you with questions you may have so honestly, you can’t go wrong.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to talk with me. I really enjoyed it, and I look forward to the pink gala and auction. LUMIPro is happy to be taking part.

Lily: We are super excited and honored to be working with LUMPro. Thank you so much for your support of us and our gallery. It has been a pleasure talking with you and I look forward to many more conversations with you at the sim. Looking forward to seeing you in your pretty pink at the Ball. I know you have tons of this color Sammie, winks.

We had a great time be sure you guys check out both of these events! Oh and one thing Lily forgot to mention was that a LUMIPro will be up for auction as well! Don't worry if you are already an owner you can give it to a friend! So take a teleport and start the bidding!